


A Worthy Sacrifice

by proudtobealuthor



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Pre-Relationship, supergirl 100th episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22971415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/proudtobealuthor/pseuds/proudtobealuthor
Summary: Takes place right after Kara and Mxy return from the Dark Timeline in the 100th episodeKara is left reeling after all the alternate timelines Mxy showed her and she just doesn't know what to do to fix things with Lena until suddenly she has an idea that could have catastrophic consequences.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 26
Kudos: 420





	A Worthy Sacrifice

A world where they had never been friends, that’s what Kara had just seen, and it had left her reeling. Why had that timeline’s version of Kara never saved Lena? Even if they were never friends surely Kara would protect her. It just didn’t make any sense.

“Mxy...why...why didn’t I save her? I don’t need to be friends with someone to save them,” she whispered with tears in her eyes. Mxy just tilted his head with a sympathetic expression in his eyes.

“For there to be a reality where you and Lena were never friends you could never have any contact with her. If you so much as spoke to her or if Supergirl had ever even saved her...well it all leads down one path, Kara. No matter what, if you guys meet, you become friends. There’s no way to stop that without cutting all contact you would ever have,” he explained gently.

“So you’re saying if I even so much as glance at Lena we end up as friends?” She whispered.

“Yes. You and Lena have such a strong pull to the other that if you ever meet in any timeline it leads to friendship.”

Kara just sat down and tucked her head between her knees as she took deep shaky breaths. None of this made any sense. The things she had seen in that last timeline were haunting her. A Lena driven mad by her own mother. She had been in so much pain. Kara could see it in her eyes and it broke her heart to know there was a Lena that suffered that way. 

Her Lena had suffered at the hands of the Luthors before, Kara knew that, but now knowing the extent of the pain Lillian and Lex could bring given the right circumstances; it filled her with such rage. What kind of pain had the Luthor’s brought to Lena’s childhood that she had never told Kara? How could anyone ever hurt Lena that way? Why would someone try and destroy such a sweet and gentle soul as Lena’s?

Kara took a deep shaking breath. She could...and she had, intentionally or not. She had broken the heart of someone who had suffered almost their entire life, and she really thought Lena could just be okay after that. Of course she wouldn’t. This was a woman who had suffered at the hands of her family, a woman whose father had drunk himself into a violent stupor, a woman who had been told emotions would be the death of her. This was a woman filled to the brim with a lifetime of pain.

Of course Kara had noticed Lena drank a little too much, blamed herself for things far too easily, and held the weight of the world on her shoulders. She never realized, though, that her best friend was so close to breaking. 

Lena Luthor was a woman who held in her pain and shoved it down until she would inevitably drown in it.

Kara ran her hands over her face as tears began to slide down her cheeks. 

“Mxy, how have I been so blind? Lena has been suffering for so long, and I’ve just sat by and done nothing,” she choked out.

“Kara, you’ve done more for Lena than you’ll ever know. You gave her a family like she’s never known before. Because of you, she was introduced to so many people who now love her. You showed her what it was to be loved, which is something she hasn’t felt since she moved in with the Luthors. She learned the behaviors she now exhibits when she was too small to even comprehend what was happening. Let me show you where a lot of her pain stems from,” Mxy announced and pointed at the tv.

Kara focused on the tv and tilted her head in confusion as it just showed the rolling waves of the ocean. 

“Mxy, what--,” she said before trailing off when someone who looked a disturbing amount like Lena ran across the screen and looked back at a small girl.

“Wait right there, Lena! Watch this,” the woman called out in an Irish accent.

The younger version of Lena giggled and stood there, clutching tightly to a bear as her mother ran into the ocean and started swimming.

“Go, Mama,” little Lena squealed excitedly, causing Kara to smile sweetly.

Lena’s birth mother continued swimming before suddenly a giant wave came up out of nowhere and crashed down over her. Little Lena tilted her head as she waited for her mother’s head to break the surface, but she never did as Lena just stood there staring at the ocean with a confused look on her little face.

Suddenly, the screen skipped to a scene of little Lena standing next to what was obviously Lionel as he introduced her to Lex before the screen went black. 

Kara just sat there for a moment and stared at her reflection in the tv.

“So you see, Kara, Lena blames herself for her mother’s death since she stood there and did nothing. Once she was brought to the Luthors, and it was obvious they weren’t the best people, she just assumed she belonged with them. She assumed she was bad, because she let her mother die and didn’t do anything,” Mxy explained.

Kara just shook her head. “How could she think that? She was just a child. She couldn’t do anything!”

“That’s the point, Kara. Lena suffers from childhood trauma, and that stuff stays with you throughout your life if you never get help for it. Lena witnessed something terrible just like you did, but the difference was that she got the Luthors and you got the Danvers. You were shown love and kindness. She wasn’t,” Mxy said softly.

Kara just took a shaky breath and stared down at her hands. Lena had never told Kara about her birth mother and now Kara knew why. Lena viewed herself as a monster for something she had no control over. What must it be like to blame yourself for something so heavy when you’re barely old enough to comprehend that it happened?

“I need to go talk to Lena. Can you wait right here, Mxy? I know what I want to try next, but I need to talk to her first,” Kara said, and Mxy just smiled and offered a little nod.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kara was gently touching down on Lena’s balcony while still in her civilian clothes. She wanted to be just Kara for this conversation.

“Here to beg for my forgiveness again,” Lena called out sarcastically as she prepared some tea.

“No, but I do want to talk to you about something. May I come in,” Kara asked softly. She wanted this conversation to be on Lena’s terms.

Lena looked a little shocked before just nodding and gesturing for her to come inside. Kara took a deep breath as she sat down across from Lena.

“First, I just want to apologize again. I am truly sorry for lying to you all these years. I was an idiot, but you don’t owe me any forgiveness. I accept the consequences of my actions, and I hate how I’ve hurt you,” she started, “I should have thought ahead to how this would affect you, and taken into account how you’ve been treated in the past, Lena. You’re someone who has been hurt more times than is fair. You have such a kind heart, and I know you’ve never been the villain despite what others may think. You’re just someone who is in pain and lashing out, but I believe you’ll always do the right thing. It’s just who you are.

“I know you’ve struggled for most of your life, and dealt with so much self hatred. I just want you to know that I admire the woman you are. You are such a beautiful, kind-hearted woman who’s been dealt a shitty hand in life, but despite all of that you’ve turned into such an amazing person. Right now you may be angry at the world for how you’ve been treated, but not everyone is going to hurt you. Not everyone is like the Luthors or...or me.” She said with a wavering smile and tears in her eyes.

“I just want you to know there are those out there that are worthy of your trust and love, and you could find true happiness if you’ll let yourself. You’ve faced so much trauma in this short life of yours, but you can work past it. I believe in you. I just want you to know that. You may not have any kind of powers or anything, but Lena Luthor you are my hero. Just know that I love you, okay. You are my best friend in the entire world, even if I’m not yours. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have someone to save from a whole lot of pain.” Kara just offered Lena a brilliant smile before going out to the balcony, glancing back at Lena one more time before taking off.

* * *

Kara just smiled at Mxy as she landed in her living room before sitting down, causing him to look at her weird. 

“Why are you smiling? Did she forgive you?” Mxy asked hopefully.

“I don’t know, but I do know what I want to change and when you do it there’s no take backs. Mxy, I want you to save Lena’s birth mother from ever dying okay. Can you do that?” She asked, causing Mxy’s jaw to drop.

“Kara...if I do that everything could be changed. There’s no guarantee it’ll work out. What about when the kryptonite seeds the air? You’ll die!”

Kara just smiled softly. “If I have to die for her to live a good life then it’s worth it. She deserves to be happy, Mxy. Do it. I’ve made up my mind.”

Mxy just took a deep breath before slowly nodding and snapping his fingers.

* * *

Lena O’Brien had just moved to National City after completing college in her home country of Ireland. Her mother and step-father were very nervous for her to be moving to America on her own, but she had been offered a prestigious position with an underground American government facility that currently worked with Supergirl, who had just announced herself the year before when she had saved a plane from going down.

Lena was beyond excited to begin her job with the DEO as one of their resident scientists to work on advancing Supergirl’s suit and to help protect her from things like kryptonite.

Since she was working so closely with the hero she had been trusted with confidential information regarding the Super’s secret identity as well.

Lena just couldn’t believe how lucky she had gotten. Before she had even graduated college she had been receiving job offers for months, but the one from the DEO had really stood out for her. To be able to work with Supergirl was like a dream come true.

She just smiled with excitement as she listened to her mother talking on the other end of the line. “Yes, Mum, I’m almost completely unpacked and I start work tomorrow,” she laughed softly when there was suddenly a knock at her front door.

“Mum, I’ve got to go. Someone’s at the door. Bye, love you,” she said before hanging up and opening the door. 

“Hello,” she said with a sweet smile.

“Hi, I’m Kara Danvers. I just wanted to welcome you to the city before we started working together tomorrow,” the woman, Kara, said as Lena’s jaw dropped. This was the woman she had seen in the file about Supergirl’s secret identity. Supergirl had personally come to welcome her to the city.

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism would be nice. I know it's not the best but sometimes it's hard to make the words go.


End file.
